Meet Me at Diagon Alley
by EevyLynn
Summary: Professor Gold and his son Baelfire take a trip to Diagon Alley to prepare for a new year at Hogwarts. While stopping in Flourish and Blotts, Gold meets Hogwarts' new librarian, Belle French.


The early morning light streamed through the curtains as Rumford Gold slowly opened his eyes. Remembering what day it was, Gold groaned and rolled over, hoping that if he went back to sleep it would delay the inevitable.

The sound of a door opening and closing in the hallway followed by another in quick succession blew that plan. Knowing his son would eventually come looking for him anyway, Gold slowly rose from his bed. Grabbing his cane from where he had propped it against his bedside table, he made his way to his closet to dress for the day.

He dressed himself in a midnight blue silk shirt with an emerald brocade waist coat. He pulled a pair of buckled knee-high boots over his dark leather pants before making his way to the kitchen.

The small stone cottage Gold shared with his son was on the outskirts of Hogsmeade. Being Defense Against the Dark Arts professor up at Hogwarts, Gold appreciated having his son so close to the school. Before Baelfire was old enough to attend, Gold would easily make it home every night that he didn't have patroles. His fireplace was connected by floo directly to the one in his office, so he was easily able to make it up to the school if need be. He and his ex-wife had always made sure their schedules lined up, so Bae could stay with her for the nights he did have to stay at the school. He supposed that was one good thing about working with the woman.

Milah was the Astronomy professor as well as the Ravenclaw head of house. With Gold being the Slytherin head of house, it lead to them spending a lot more time together than the average divorced couple, but at least it was a civil parting that enabled the two to continue an odd, but professional relationship. She, too, lived in the village, but she lived more in the center, loving being a part of the action, not that there was much in the small village.

Bae was already seated at the kitchen table when Gold walked in, scribbling intensely on a roll of parchment with his steadily shrinking stick of charcoal. Reaching down into the cabinet or pots and pans, Gold got started on breakfast.

The comfortable morning silence was broken by a knocking on the window. Gold watched in amusement as Bae jumped out of his seat and quickly made his way over to let Dove, the family's snowy owl, inside. As soon as Bae finished untying the letter from Dove's foot, the bird flew over to pech itself near Gold. With a bemused smile, Gold fed Dove a piece of bacon as Bae ripped open the letter and scanned it.

"So?" Gold prompted, his smirk never leaving his face at his son's excitement.

"She can make it!" Bae exclaimed. "She's staying at May Margaret's for the rest of the summer, and they have plans to go today as well!"

"Well, there you go," Gold replied as he carried their food to the table. "All of that worrying was for nothing."

"I wasn't worried," Bae quickly interjected, loading his plate with extra bacon.

Gold grunted noncommittally as he prepared his own plate.

"I wasn't!" Bae insisted.

Gold just glanced at the boy with raised brows.

After a moment, Bae amended, "If I _was _worried, it was _only _because I was concerned that she wouldn't be able to get her school supplies."

"Uh-huh," Gold bit his toast as he continued to study the boy.

"Papa!" Bae sighed. "I'm serious."

"Ok, son. Whatever you say," Gold said backing down, but not losing his smirk.

Checking his pocket watch, Gold said, "Finish up quickly, and go get dressed. I'd like to leave in less than an hour."

Gold brought his plate over to the sink and, with a flick of his wand, set the dishes to start cleaning themselves.

Bae shoveled the rest of his food into his mouth as Gold left the room.

Gold adjusted the cuffs of his long, black dragon hide coat before once again checking his pocket watch. Sighing, he turned to walk to the hallway when Bae came stumbling into the room fiddling with his cloak's clasp. Beckoning his son over, Gold hooked the golden handle of his cane over his arm to free up both hands. Reaching over, he straightened the bronze phoenix clasp that held together Bae's dark purple cloak.

"Ready?" Gold asked, moving his cane back to the ground.

Bae nodded and they walked over to the large fireplace. Reaching into the crystalline vase on the mantle, Gold grabbed a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the flames, turning them a bright green color. Nodding at Bae, Gold stepped in.

"Diagon Alley," he stated firmly causing the flames to rise up and engulf him.

After a few seconds, the flames died down back to their usual color, and then Bae followed suit.

Bae just barely managed to catch himself when he stumbled out of the grate. He brushed soot off his cloak as he stepped away, glancing around the packed pub for his father.

"Bae!" he heard from the direction of the bar.

Stepping around a tall wizard with a long pipe, Bae caught sight of a large burgundy top hat. Walking towards it, he found his father talking with the potions professor, Inally Jefferson. Jefferson turned and grinned at the boy as Bae got closer.

Bae always did like his father's eccentric friend. When the previous Defense Against the Dark Arts professor retired, the headmistress asked Bae's father to step in, leaving the Potions post open. Gold was hesitant when Jefferson, a young experimental potioneer, got hired on as his replacement. However, the young man's disposition quickly won over the older man, and Gold took him under his wing.

"Well, hello, Baelfire," he said with an extravagant bow.

"Hey," Bae grinned back.

"You ready for school to start?"

"Yes, sir. I am," he replied, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the stereotypical adult question.

"Good, good." Jefferson turned back to Gold, "Well, I must be going. Good talking to you, Rum. I'll see you both later."

With a light flick of his hand near his head, Jefferson bowed before turning and disapparating away.

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><p><strong>AN: We should see our favorite librarian in the next chapter! Thank you for reading!<strong>


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